The Hitler Diaries – Hitler in Color
This unique expository documentary offers an intriguing and distinct look at the rise and fall of Germany’s Führer, Adolf Hitler, through the use of colorized stock footage, supported by voice-over diary entries and letter fragments from eyewitnesses. These include writings from Hitler himself, other Nazi Party members, and ordinary Germans.
Directed by the BBC’s David Batty and narrated by Brian Cox, with German actor Lutz Liebelt portraying Hitler, The Hitler Diaries paints a disturbing portrait of Hitler, a man profoundly scarred by the horrors of the First World War. It examines how he managed to mesmerize a humiliated and disillusioned nation, one that had lost its cultural pride and hope for a decent future. His hypnotic influence led the German people into an inferno of war, sacrifice, and death.
When the war ended on May 7, 1945, Germany awoke from a feverish nightmare. Europe lay in ruins, the continent divided into Western and Eastern blocs, respectively under the influence of American capitalism and Stalinist communism.
Content
1933
Rise of the Nazi Party
Why the German People Willingly Followed a Tyrant into Six Years of Catastrophic War
When Germany lost World War I, eight million traumatized soldiers returned home to a disillusioned country severely punished for its wartime aggression by the Treaty of Versailles. In line with the contemporary political culture of the Western world, and an inner fervor to break with the dictatorial tradition of the Kaiserreich, Germany established its first democracy in 1919, called the Weimar Republic.
However, democracy was not destined to last long in Germany. The country was tormented by clashes between communists and capitalists, haunted by economic disasters, and its cultural traditions were threatened by the hedonistic cosmopolitan lifestyle that spread worldwide during the Roaring Twenties—a reaction to the horrors of World War I, especially evident in big cities like Berlin. During the 14 years of the Weimar Republic, internal political and cultural turmoil was immense, resulting in several bloody rebellions and coup attempts.
By the 1930s, many Germans yearned for an authoritarian figure who could restore order, create prosperity, and revive traditional German culture. Amidst this sentiment and under significant intimidation, including the aftermath of the Reichstag Fire, Hitler’s Nazi Party became the largest party in the Reichstag following the March 1933 election, securing 43.9% of the votes. However, Hitler did not win an outright majority. To consolidate dictatorial power, he passed the Enabling Act, which allowed the Nazi regime to enact laws without the Reichstag’s approval.
dominated the Weimar Republic
Hans Bakker
"Thousands of factories closed their doors. Many honest German had to resort to theft to obtain food. All of us yearned for better times. Like many, I've lost all my possessions. So I have joined the National Socialist Party."
Nuremberg Rallies
Through the intelligent use of modern developments in media, such as the microphone, sound, and film, the Nazis were able to organize and address huge crowds, creating community spectacles that propagated and celebrated a Germanic cultural revival, racial superiority, and other Nazi visions.
At the 1934 Nuremberg Rally, 500.000 people gathered to experience Hitler. One of the most infamous documentaries in history, 'Triumph of the Will,' by Hitler's favorite filmmaker, Leni Riefenstahl, documented the event and was shown in theaters all across Germany to extend its impact.
Hitler
The misery of our people is horrible to behold. Unemployment must be overcome. People of Germany. Give us four years. May God Almighty give our work his blessing.
Schoolteacher Louise Solmitz
A thrill shot through the crowd. The Führer is coming. The excitement of the moment, gave vent to a rousing cry. So many worship him as their Savior, the Redeemer from unbearable poverty.
Hitler
It is our task to make certain that the pages in German history that bear witness to our disintegration, are torn in half. From neat misery shall arise a new German Reich.
solidarity, and loyalty to the regime
Life in Nazi Germany improved in several ways for many Germans, particularly in the early years of the regime. Extensive public works programs, such as the construction of highways to interconnect the country, and military rearmament significantly reduced unemployment. The regime also implemented public health campaigns, improved healthcare facilities, and promoted physical fitness. Programs like "Strength Through Joy" (Kraft durch Freude) provided leisure activities, vacations, and cultural events for workers. Everything was focused on revitalizing the nation and its culture, instilling a sense of belonging and identity.
Jewish Doctor Hertha Nathorff
" Hitler as chancellor. Everyone is full of it, it's all they talk about.
Many are filled with happiness. Some have worry written in their faces. However, all are united in the words: Now things will change."
Hans Wieners
Who would have thought a German worker would one day be able to go to the Italian Riviera? We will all return to Germany full of thankfulness, and be able to work doubly hard to realize our Führer's goal.
Through legal political manipulation, the Reichstag passed the Enabling Act of 1933, which allowed Hitler to enact laws without the Reichstag's consent for four years, effectively giving him dictatorial powers. Following this, the Nazis quickly moved to eliminate political opposition and centralize power by dismantling the federal structure of the Weimar Republic. By 1935, after the night of the long knives, the Nazis were in full control of the government, and Germany had effectively become a Nazi-run tyranny.
Hitler
Not everyone of you can see me. Yet I feel you, and you feel me. The miracle of our age is that you have found me. Germany's fortune, is that I have found you.
the Nazi regime implemented a series of racial laws aimed at establishing and maintaining the racial purity of the Aryan race. The Nuremberg Laws primarily targeted Jews but also affected other groups deemed racially or socially inferior, such as Romani people, disabled individuals, and Afro-Germans. The most profound of these laws was the Reich Citizenship Law, which stripped Jews of German citizenship, reducing them to mere subjects of the state without full rights. Only individuals of "German or related blood" could be Reich citizens.
To support these laws and indoctrinate the German population, the Nazis implemented educational programs in schools to promote and enforce racial discrimination and Aryan superiority.
Child
You can most easily tell a Jew by his nose. It looks like the number six. His lips are usually puffy. You can tell by his eyes that he is deceitful. If you have a good nose, you can smell the Jews.
Hitler's New Germany
The 1936 Olympics were the first to be broadcast on television, and extensive radio coverage was provided. The Nazis used these new technologies to reach a global audience.
Berlin was transformed with extensive renovations and new construction projects, including the impressive Olympic Stadium, to present a modern and orderly image. In the lead-up to the Games, the Nazis temporarily softened some of their overtly anti-Semitic policies. Anti-Jewish signs were removed from public places,
Filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl was commissioned to create a documentary of the Games, resulting in the film "Olympia," which showcased the event with groundbreaking cinematographic techniques and aimed to further Nazi propaganda.
The most memorable moment of the 1936 Olympic Games was Jesse Owens' remarkable performance. Owens, an African American athlete, won four gold medals in track and field. His achievements contradicted the Aryan supremacy ideology of the Nazis.
Jewish Professor Victor Klemper
I find the Olympics so odious. The chanted slogans on the streets have been banned. Jew-baiting, warlike sentiments. Everything offensive has disappeared from the papers. The attention of our guests is repeatedly drawn to how peacefully and pleasantly things are proceeding here.
Lloyd George, the former British Prime Minister, visited Germany and met Hitler in 1936 on a fact-finding mission. He was reportedly impressed by Hitler and Germany's apparent economic recovery and social order. In a subsequent article, he controversially praised Hitler for restoring Germany’s national pride and stability. This visit exemplifies how orchestrated state visits and propaganda can shape influential figures' perceptions.
George Loyd
The idea of a Germany intimidating Europe forms no part of Hitler's new vision. The Germans have definitely made up their minds never to quarrel with us again.
aspect of German society.
The "Celebration of 2000 Years of German Culture" was highly popular and received significant attention and participation from the German public. The Nazi regime had fulfilled many of its promises: unemployment was low, the economy was flourishing, and cultural pride had been restored. Hitler was near the height of his popularity.
14 yr old Ingeborg Weber
The four years the Führer asked for to fulfill his promises, are up. What great things he has achieved. The communists have disappeared from Germany. There is no unemployment. The Führer has given us back our self-respect.
Hitler and Braun's relationship was kept largely out of the public eye. Hitler was keen to maintain his image as the dedicated leader of the German people, with no time for personal relationships.
Eva Braun
The weather is so wonderful, and I, the mistress of the greatest man in the world, am sitting here and gazing at the sun.
I'm so terribly happy that he loves me so much, and I pray that it will always be like this. He has had a head full of politics all this time, but surely it is time he relaxed a little.
Fritz Braun (Eva's Father)
Your Excellency, I find myself in the extremely unpleasant position of having to express to you my distress. I believe that parent supervision of the children until they get married, is a sacred principle. This is my code of honor. Please advise her to return to her family. Yours very respectfully, Fritz Braun.
Eva
When he says he loves me, it only means he loves me at that particular moment. Like his promises, which he never keeps. I am utterly miserable. I shall go out and buy some sleeping pills. Then I won't think about it so much.
Hitler
A highly intelligent man should take a primitive and stupid woman. Imagine if I had a woman who interfered with my work. In my leisure time, I want to have peace. I could never marry. It's the same with a movie actor. When he marries, he loses a certain something for the women who adore him. Then, he is no longer their idol.
1936 - 1939
Prelude to War
Creating Alliances and Testing the Enemies inner Resolve
Through numerous popular rallies, speeches, educational programs in schools, racial signs on the street, and Hitler’s book Mein Kampf (which sold 6 million copies), Germans were well aware of the plans that the Nazis had for Germany. The Nazis aimed for the unification of all Germans in Austria, the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia, and Poland, the expansion of German territory to the east (Russia), and the establishment of a racially pure state. Hitler had been clear about his disdain for democracy and communism, and by 1938, he had established a dictatorial regime to achieve his goals for Germany.
The first step in Hitler’s prelude to war was to create alliances and test the enemies’ inner resolve. Alliances were formed with Mussolini’s Italy and Japan. This was followed by the Anschluss with Austria in 1938, which met little resistance both within Austria and internationally, as many Austrians supported the union.
Next came the annexation of the Sudetenland, part of Czechoslovakia. Initially, this faced steep international resistance, but it was eventually condoned through the Munich Agreement of 1938, as Britain and France sought to avoid another world war. However, Germany was issued a warning that if it invaded Poland, war would be declared by Britain and France.
of Italy and Japan
Italy's geographical location was crucial for controlling the Mediterranean, while Japan's ambitions in Asia helped divert Allied attention and resources.
Hitler
We do not intend, in rearming Germany, to create an instrument of military aggression. On the contrary, exclusively for defense and the maintenance of peace.
Interpreter Paul Schmidt
I had ample opportunity of observing the two of them. Hitler's voice was rough and often hoarse. Sometimes his eyes blazed. His laugh always had a flavor of sarcasm. There was an interesting ceremony with Mussolini appointing Hitler an honorary corporal in the fascist militia.
One Leader
While the Austrian Nazi Party and a majority of Austrians, mainly nationalists, supported the Anschluss, several groups and individuals were opposed to it. These included Social Democrats and Communists, Austrian monarchists, Austrian Jews and other minority groups.
Carl Toussaint
We've been told German troops should not be met with any resistance. God save Austria. Everywhere there are people on the streets and swastika flags. Germany has apparently saved us from the communists. Now everyone is on the side of the winners.
of Public Servants
for Sudeten Germans
Joseph Goebbels
Now comes Czechoslovakia. The Führer is wonderful, a true genius. He sits for hours over the map and broods. The Führer is pleased that Czechs are being so stubborn. All the more will they be torn to pieces one day. They haven't the slightest idea what's going to happen. Poor fools.
Hitler
I demand the right of self-determination for the 3.5 million Sudeten Germans. They themselves have a right to decide to which country they belong. I demand that the oppression of these Germans in Czechoslovakia ceases.
Minister Neville Chamberlaine (about the Munich Agreement)
The agreement signed last night, is symbolic of the desire of our two peoples never to go to war with one another again. I believe it is peace for our time.
Hitler
It was here that my first ideals took shape. My association with the rougher boys, made me the very opposite of a stay at home.
Even then, my speaking talents were being developed in violent arguments with my school friends. Woods and meadows were then my battlefields.
A Woman's Letter to a local Newspaper
My children look upon the Führer as he who gives the orders for everything. To them, the Führer is the creator of the world.
Schoolchildren are even being taught a new song. Adolf Hitler is our savior, our hero. He is the noblest being in the whole wide world. For Hitler we live, for Hitler we die. Our Hitler rules a brave new world.
A central tenet of Nazi ideology was the concept of Lebensraum, which called for the expansion of German territory to provide living space for the German people. Hitler viewed Eastern Europe, including Poland, as the primary area for this expansion. This was tied to his broader vision of creating a vast German empire in the east.
Lieutenant Colonel Schmundt
The Führer says that the solution to our problems demands courage. It is a question of expanding in the east. No other openings can be seen in Europe. We are left with no alternative but to attack Poland, at the first opportunity.
Joseph Goebbels
We know for sure that the British are too weak and too cowardly to get in our way. The Führer says that Britain now has the most rotten government imaginable. Believe me, we're going to see things develop just like the last time. A war of nerves, but they'll end up giving in.
not to attack each other
Despite being ideologically opposed, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, also known as the Nazi-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact, allowed both Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union to pursue their strategic interests without immediate fear of conflict with each other. For Germany, it secured the eastern front, allowing Hitler to invade Poland and then focus on his Western campaigns. For the Soviet Union, it provided time to build up its military strength and secure its western borders.
The pact was a diplomatic shock to the world, particularly to Britain and France, which had been negotiating with the Soviet Union in the hopes of forming an alliance against Nazi Germany.
Hitler's letter to Stalin
Herr Stalin. The tension between Germany and Poland has become intolerable. A crisis may arise any day. It is desirable to enter into a new relationship with each other. I should be glad to receive your early answer. Adolf Hitler.
German Military
Blitzkrieg
Securing the Western Flank
Although the ultimate goal was to invade the Soviet Union, Hitler recognized that he first needed to secure Germany’s western flank. France and the United Kingdom had declared war on Germany following the invasion of Poland in September 1939, posing an immediate military threat. Therefore, eliminating or neutralizing these threats was a necessary preliminary step before turning eastward.
The Fall of France: The successful execution of the Blitzkrieg in Western Europe in May and June 1940 allowed Germany to swiftly defeat France and leave the United Kingdom as the only major Western Allied power still standing against Germany. This victory not only secured Germany’s western front but also boosted German morale and military prestige.
Battle of Britain: Hitler hoped that the defeat of France would force the United Kingdom to seek peace. When this did not happen, the Germans launched the Battle of Britain to gain air superiority as a prelude to a potential invasion of Britain (Operation Sea Lion). However, the failure to achieve air dominance led to the postponement and eventual cancellation of the invasion plan.
One week after the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, German troops invaded Poland, crossing the border at several points using blitzkrieg tactics. Additionally, the Nazis started bombing Warsaw to speed up the Polish surrender and to demoralize civilians, demonstrating their commitment to a war of annihilation.
On 3 September, England and France declared war on Germany, and the Second World War had effectively begun. Two weeks later, on 17 September, as part of the secret pact with Stalin, the Red Army invades eastern Poland. By 6 October, Germany and the USSR had divided Poland along the lines of the Soviet-German Frontier Treaty, and Poland as a country ceased to exist.
Werner Hartz
The streets are empty and there are no troops to be seen. There are no cheering people, such as we had at the start of the Great War. War has broken out quietly, as if under a cloud.
Panzergrenadier Gerhard Meyer
We encountered masses of refugees in carts. People are leaving town. Our artillery has had a field day. Everything has collapsed. There are people standing at the side of the road, watching us with hatred.
After the Polish defeat, Hitler offered peace to France and England so he could stay focussed on expanding in the east. When it was dismissed, he became enraged and prepared to invade.
Joseph Goebbels
The Führer believes England has to get a knockout blow. England's power is now simply a myth, not a reality any longer. All the more reason why it must be smashed. Before then, there will be no peace in the world.
Blitzkrieg Tactics
On 10 May 1940, the German Army invaded the Netherlands and France through the Ardennes in Belgium, again using blitzkrieg tactics. When the Netherlands refused to surrender early during the invasion, the Nazis bombed Rotterdam (see above image) and threatened to bomb Amsterdam if it did not capitulate. This, as with Poland, again demonstrated the Nazis' commitment to a war of annihilation.
Private Hans Gothard
My darling wife. How can I start to describe this experience? From all sides, we can feel the march of thousands. The thunder of artillery never ceases, and we just follow its echo. In just two weeks, the German Army has the allies on the run.
The evacuation of British soldiers from Dunkirk was one of the largest military operations of the war, with approximately 338,000 men rescued from the beaches during Operation Dynamo.
A staggering 933 ships took place in the operation, from navy ships to fishing ships, with only 697 returning to Britain.
The operation was scheduled after hundreds of thousands of British, French, Belgian and other allied forces became trapped by the German army on the beaches of Dunkirk following a failed attempt to set up a base on mainland Europe.
Peter Souf (One of the first German soldiers arriving on the beach)
It is hard to describe the panic of the English. Imagine a picture of absolute chaos on the beaches. Weapons and guns, and lots of vehicles and tanks. It is the fall of Dunkerque. The whole of the Belgian and French coast is in our hands.
The Blitzkrieg, the Battle of France, and the Dunkirk evacuation led to the subjugation of the Netherlands and Belgium, the ousting of the British from the European mainland, and ultimately the fall of Paris, France.
Private Hans Gothard
My darling wife. I am completely shaken inside. Our soldiers have become childlike and cruel. When we have won this war, I can imagine all the enthusiastic speeches at home, about our leadership, and the spirit of the troops.I have to say, it is untrue. We have only won due to our wickedness.
Hitler
Within barely six weeks of heroic struggle, our soldiers have ended the war in the west. Their deeds will enter into history as the most glorious victory of all time. I order flags to be flown throughout the Reich, and bells to ring for seven days.
After the fall of France, to avoid a prolonged conflict, Hitler sought an agreement with Churchill to dominate Europe while allowing Britain to keep its empire, but Churchill refused.
Hitler
Mr. Churchill should place his trust in me. The continuation of this war will end in the complete destruction of one of our two nations. I know it will be Britain. I direct yet another appeal to reason.
Messerschmidt Pilot Ulrich Steinhilfer
I can report I've now shot down my fourth Spitfire, but it cost me an excellent pilot.The day before, we had three more losses. My wingman was also caught. There are only twelve left from the old crew. The British have a new engine in their Spitfires and we can hardly keep up with it.
After the Nazi Luftwaffe accidentally bombed London, the RAF retaliated by bombing Berlin, infuriating Hitler. In response, he ordered an all-out assault on London, but this backfired, leading to many lost German bombers.
Hitler
If the Royal Air Force should drop 2,000 or 4,000 bombs, then we will drop 200,000 or 400,000, even one million bombs in a single night. If they then increase their attacks, we will obliterate their cities.
Bomber pilot Peter Stahl
16th of October. Our losses amount to four bombers and their crews. This is a heavy blow. Tomorrow, the official communicator will state that our brave aircrews have inflicted devastating damage on vital targets, and our own losses were only minimal. Our crews are reaching the limits of their nerves.
The Warsaw Ghetto was a designated area within Warsaw, Poland, where the Nazi German authorities forcibly confined the Jewish population during World War II. It was the largest ghetto in Nazi-occupied Europe and a significant symbol of Jewish suffering and resistance during the Holocaust.
The conditions within the ghetto were horrendous. Overcrowding, starvation, and disease were rampant. The population of the ghetto swelled to around 400,000 people in an area of about 3.4 square km, leading to extreme deprivation and suffering.
Hitler
The Poles have a thin Germanic layer. Below that, is foul material, the Jews. The most disgusting thing imaginable. If Poland had lasted any longer, everything would be lice for him. A clear, masterful hand is now needed here.
Seventeen-year-old Mary Burge
The ghetto is becoming more and more crowded. There is a constant stream of new refugees. People are ragged and barefoot. With the tragic eyes of those who are starving. Starvation alone is killing 40 to 50 people each day. I saw a little girl crying. She looked at me with her blue eyes and said: "I'm hungry." Why does no one come to our aid? How long are we going to be kept here?
Joseph Goebbels
The Führer prophesied that if the Jews brought about another world war, they would experience annihilation. The World War is here. The extermination of the Jews, is the necessary consequence
A war of annihilation
Invasion of Russia
The Quest for Living Space
Although the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany signed a nonaggression pact in August 1939, in which both countries agreed not to fight each other for 10 years, both sides secretly anticipated that war between them was likely to break out soon. Hitler had made no secret of his disdain for the Slavic peoples, their communism, and the need for Aryan living space, or ‘Lebensraum,’ as the Nazis called it. So, on June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany launched a massive military operation called Barbarossa, invading the Soviet Union. Operation Barbarossa was the largest and costliest land offensive in human history, with around 10 million combatants taking part, and over 8 million casualties by the end of the operation.
The aim of the invasion was to defeat communism and secure living space for the Aryan people. Initially, the operation was successful, pushing the Red Army back toward Moscow. But the Germans got a reality check once the bitter Russian winter set in. As they dug into the snow, their military effectiveness waned, stretched thin over a massive front from Finland to the Black Sea. From there on Hitler, who had started to believe his self-created myth of invinsibility, ordered a series of self-destructive military operations that would eventually lead to the German defeat in Stalingrad
A war of annihilation. Hitler called it that, as behind the front lines, German death squads were brutally clearing the land of all unwanted civilians to create living space. The atrocities and crimes against humanity were beyond fathom, as hundreds of thousands of people were brutally slaughtered by the Einsatzgruppen—units consisting mostly of Nazi SS special forces, but also including collaborators from Ukraine, Romania, Hungary, and Bulgaria. The German armies captured around five million Soviet Red Army troops, of whom 3.3 million were deliberately starved or killed. Over a million Soviet Jews were murdered through mass shootings
After Germany's defeat at the hands of the RAF, Hitler abandoned his plans for an invasion of Britain. He refocused on annihilating communism and realizing the Nazi ideal of 'Lebensraum,' beginning preparations for a war against the Soviet Union. However, some of his military staff began to doubt his strategic vision.
Deputy Chief of operations General Warlimont
This means that we are bringing on ourselves a war on two fronts. That up to now, we have been lucky to avoid. What we need is someone to oppose the Führer, but there is no one.
Hitler
Communism is an enormous danger for our future. We must forget any idea of comradeship between soldiers. This will be a war of annihilation.
Karl Fuchs, gunner in the 7th Panzer division.
War isn't half as bad as it sounds. The Russians are fleeing everywhere. Yesterday I shot up a Russian tank. If I get another one, I'll get my first battle stripes. We're going to show those Bolshevik pigs who's who around here. I wish you could see me now, all tanned by the sun. We all believe in an early victory.
War Crimes
The 105th Police Battalion, like many other police units, was involved in brutal operations, including mass shootings and other atrocities, particularly in the occupied Eastern territories during World War II.
An officer in the 105th Police Battalion, writes home
Dear Hannah. The number of prisoners we take increases day by day. Our battalion has to take care of them. We shoot them there and then. When you know that these men have killed German soldiers, it is not such a difficult job to shoot them. Please don't read this to our son.
Hitler
What India is for Britain, Russia will be for us. If only I could make the German people understand what this space means for our future. Let's learn from the British. It is just a matter of dividing up a giant cake. So that first, we rule it, then administer it, and finally exploit it.
On December 7, 1941, Japanese carrier planes attacked the American fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, knocking out over 200 planes and sinking or damaging eight battleships, the pride of the U.S. Pacific fleet. The following day, Congress declared war on Imperial Japan (Watch Roosevelt's full 'Day of Infamy' speech). In response, Germany and Italy—Japan’s allies—declared war on the United States.
Hitler
No power can shake us. I am Führer of a Reich that will last for a thousand years. Churchill and Roosevelt are sitting over there, in their plutocratic little world. Behind the scenes, the Jews run their show. I have my people behind me
During the siege of Moscow, the German army, stretched over a long frontline, faced significant resource shortages. Hitler, frustrated by the lack of a quick victory, eagerly sought another swift success, which he envisioned in Operation Blue. The objective was to capture the oil fields of Baku (Azerbaijan SSR), Grozny, and Maikop for two purposes: to resupply the Germans' dwindling fuel reserves and to deny these resources to the Soviet Union, thereby causing the complete collapse of the Soviet war effort. Several members of the military staff, including 6th Army commander Paulus, believed this strategy to be a risky gamble.
Lieutenant Wilhelm Pruhler
At last, we're in our element again. It is we who are taking the initiative, Mr. Stalin, neither you nor your beasts can stop us. All about is an ear-splitting, gigantic record. Shot after shot. A never-ending inferno. The land is bathed in a thick fog. We thank God that this war is not being fought on German soil.
Leads to Catastrophic Defeat
The Battle of Stalingrad was the bloodiest and fiercest battle of World War II—and arguably in all of human history—with estimated casualties ranging between 1.5 and 3 million in less than five months.
To reach the oilfields in the Caucasus, the German Army had to pass Stalingrad, a major industrial city with a port on the Volga River, crucial for transporting oil and other war resources to mainland Russia. Bypassing Stalingrad would have left the German Army vulnerable to being cut off and disastrously encircled.
Hitler
Do you think that you can teach me what a man at the front is thinking? Where were you in the First World War? I demand from you the same toughness as from the front-line soldiers.
Private Werner Bunnerman
My dear son, I hope that this is the last Christmas that you celebrate without me. The Russians have dealt us a nasty blow. It is now minus 30 degrees here. How nice it must be in warm rooms. Next year I will hopefully be back with you. Love from your father, Werner.
While Christmas was celebrated in Germany in relative peace, the 300,000 soldiers of the German 6th Army were encircled and trapped in Stalingrad. Hitler, completely frustrated, refused to admit defeat and order a breakout. Instead, he ordered the 6th Army to fight to the death in the bitter cold, which many did. On February 2, 1943, completely out of food and ammunition, General Paulus surrendered with only 91,000 soldiers surviving the gruesome fighting.
Private Werner Bunnerman
My dear son, I hope that this is the last Christmas that you celebrate without me. The Russians have dealt us a nasty blow. It is now minus 30 degrees here. How nice it must be in warm rooms. Next year I will hopefully be back with you. Love from your father, Werner.
Defeat in Stalingrad
The Tide has Turned
Germany on the Retreat
Today, the Battle of Stalingrad is widely regarded as the turning point in the European theatre of World War II, as Germany’s Wehrmacht was forced to withdraw considerable military forces from other regions to replace losses on the Eastern Front. By the time the hostilities ended, the German 6th Army and 4th Panzer Army had been destroyed, and Army Group B was routed. The Soviet victory at Stalingrad shifted the balance of power on the Eastern Front in their favor, setting the stage for the eventual Soviet march on Berlin.
The defeat at Stalingrad was a psychological blow to both the German army and the German public. The myth of Nazi invincibility was shattered, leading to declining morale among the troops and increasing war-weariness on the home front.
Although Hitler did not admit it publicly, the loss and the hopelessness of fighting a war on two fronts against superior and better-equipped enemies began to affect his health and mental well-being.
After Stalingrad, the combination of catastrophic losses, overextended supply lines, relentless Soviet offensives, Hitler’s strategic errors, and declining morale meant that the Germans were unable to regroup effectively. In desperation, the German army began to recruit underaged and overaged men.
The diary of 15 year old Wolfgang von Deichen
We have replaced the men so that they can go to the front. Soldiers had manned these guns until now. It's very exciting. I like this much more than school. We are now on duty 24 hours a day. We are boys no longer. Now we are men.
Operation Gomorrah
Operation Gomorrah was one of the largest and most intense bombing campaigns of the war. The bombing created a massive firestorm—a phenomenon where the bombing's intensity caused a tornado of fire, with winds reaching up to 150 miles per hour. This firestorm destroyed large parts of the city, including residential areas, and killed about 40.000 civilians.
The destruction of Hamburg was a severe psychological blow to the German population and leadership. The scale of the destruction demonstrated the Allies' growing ability to bring the war to the German homeland.
Hamburg fireman Hans Brunswick
The fire is like a thunderstorm without rain. The heat is unbearable. I see people lying in the street. I tried to help them, but they are already dead. Hamburg streets are littered with bodies, some of them so burnt that they're only skeletons. Some, are reduced to small heaps of ash.
Minister of Supplies Albert Speer
I tried a few times to persuade Hitler. Goebbels had tried to put over the same idea, but in vain, and referred enviously to the conduct of Churchill. "When I think of the propaganda value I could make of such a visit", he'd say.
Hitler
If the German people are no longer so strong and ready for sacrifice, that they will not stake their own blood on their existence, they deserve to pass away, and be annihilated by another, stronger power. If that is the case, I would not shed a tear for them.
Particularly from 1943 onward, Hitler's health began to deteriorate noticeably. He developed a progressively worsening tremor in his left hand, and many historians and medical experts believe he suffered from Parkinson's disease.
General Heinz Guderian
Since I last saw Hitler, he has aged greatly. His back was bent. His hand trembled. His eyes lacked the former luster. He easily lost his temper, and was then unpredictable in what he said and did.
Hitler's adjutant Nicolaus von Below
I had the impression that Hitler now believed that a war against both the Russians and the allies on two fronts, could no longer be won.
June 6, 1944
D-Day
The Liberation of Western Europe
Operation Neptune, or better known as D-Day, was the largest seaborne invasion in history aimed at liberating Western Europe, defeating Nazi Germany, and containing the Red Army. The relationship between Joseph Stalin, Winston Churchill, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, marked by a complex mix of mutual distrust, strategic necessity, and cooperation, played a crucial role in the planning and execution of D-Day, as well as the subsequent race for Berlin. As one of history’s most brutal dictators, Stalin was suspicious of everyone, especially Roosevelt and Churchill. He feared they might make a separate peace with Nazi Germany, leaving the Soviet Union to fight Hitler alone, as he had done with the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Therefore, Stalin strongly pressured the Allies to open a Western Front as soon as possible.
Churchill, however, was cautious about a direct invasion and wanted to avoid the prolonged and devastating trench warfare seen in World War I. He preferred to weaken the Nazis through the Mediterranean and delay a full-scale invasion until Germany was significantly weakened by the Soviet advance.
Additionally, both Churchill and Roosevelt were aware of the growing power of the Red Army and were concerned about Soviet influence in post-war Europe. They aimed to ensure that the Western Allies could secure as much of Europe as possible for capitalism and democracy before the war’s end.
Operation Neptune was the codename for the actual landings on the Normandy beaches, aimed at securing beachheads for the arrival of military supplies and reinforcements. This was the first phase of the broader campaign to liberate Western Europe, which was codenamed Operation Overlord.
Hitler
The news could not be any better. As long as they were in Britain, we could not get at them. Now we have them where we can destroy them. However, by the end of the first day, the Allies have overwhelmed the German soldiers, and fought their way inland.
Private Robert Vogt
We only had infantry weapons. We didn't even have a bazooka. We were even short of ammunition.
Hitler
Now I have proof. The entire General Staff is contaminated. Now I have the swine who have been sabotaging my work for years. Now I know why my great plans failed. It was treason.
While World War II saw incredible, world-changing inventions like the computer, V2 missile technology, and the atomic bomb, the V2 —unlike the atomic bomb—would not have been a game-changer. Hitler's focus on weapons like the V2-rocket reflected a combination of desperation, misallocation of resources and magical thinking.
Had Germany invested more in nuclear research early on and successfully developed an atomic bomb, it could have drastically altered the war. However, due to a combination of scientific, industrial, and strategic shortcomings, Germany was never close to achieving this goal. In contrast, the United States, with its focused and well-funded Manhattan Project, succeeded in developing the atomic bomb, ultimately leading to the end of the war in the Pacific.
Hitler
What I want is annihilation
may 2, 1945
The Fall of the Third Reich
The Final Push into Germany
This iconic image, taken by Soviet photographer Yevgeny Khaldei on May 2, 1945, shows Soviet soldiers raising the red flag of the Soviet Union over the Reichstag building in Berlin. The photograph has become one of the most powerful symbols of the defeat of Nazi Germany and the end of World War II in Europe. The Allied powers had previously agreed that Berlin would fall within the Soviet zone of occupation after the war. Consequently, American, British, and French forces focused their efforts on advancing through other parts of Germany and did not make a push for Berlin. The Western Allies halted their advance at the Elbe River, allowing the Soviets to proceed with their assault on the city.
Churchill, however, was cautious about a direct invasion and wanted to avoid the prolonged and devastating trench warfare seen in World War I. He preferred to weaken the Nazis through the Mediterranean and delay a full-scale invasion until Germany was significantly weakened by the Soviet advance.
Additionally, both Churchill and Roosevelt were aware of the growing power of the Red Army and were concerned about Soviet influence in post-war Europe. They aimed to ensure that the Western Allies could secure as much of Europe as possible for capitalism and democracy before the war’s end.
The photograph above captures the liberation of a Dutch city in the spring of 1945. While Italy had been conquered, France and Belgium Liberated, the Netherlands was one of the last countries in Western Europe to be fully liberated, largely due to the failure of the Allied military operation known as Market Garden in September 1944. This operation aimed to secure key river bridges near Arnhem but did not achieve its objectives. Despite this setback, it was increasingly evident, even to Hitler, that Germany was on the brink of losing the war.
In October 1944, the Western Allies crossed the German border at Roetgen, near Aachen, marking the first incursion into Germany by Allied forces. Meanwhile, on the Eastern Front, the Red Army was advancing steadily and was closing in on Berlin.
Hitler
I know the war is lost. The enemy's superiority is too great. I have been betrayed. I ought to put a bullet in my head. However, we will not capitulate, ever. We may go down, but we will take the world with us.
In this photograph people of the nearby city of Weimar are forced to come and see the results of the concentration camps in Buchenwald.
Ohrdruf, a subcamp of the larger Buchenwald concentration camp system, was the first to be discovered by the Western Allies, sending a shockwave through their ranks.
Although the Red Army had already briefed Western leaders about the unimaginable horrors discovered at Majdanek and Auschwitz, these reports were met with great skepticism. The scale of the atrocities was difficult to comprehend, and there was significant distrust of the Soviet Union, which had its own record of severe human rights abuses under Stalin.
Udo Dittmeier - one of the few survivors
The conditions in Buchenwald had reached the height of horror. People were starving. A few of those who could still move, broke down, and died. There were mountains of corpses. The crematorium and the courtyard were overcrowded with skeletons. I can still hear my dead friends. If you should survive, don't forget to tell the world of our destiny. I will never forget.
18yr-old, Renata Simone forced to watch
I could hardly believe what I was seeing. They had piled up the corpses of people who had died. The smell was just too much. I couldn't take it anymore. However, someone shouted at me: "You Hitler fräulein, here, look, look."
During the Yalta Conference, the Allies agreed that Germany would be divided into four occupation zones, each controlled by one of the major Allied powers: the United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and France.
Berlin, the capital, despite being located deep within the Soviet zone, would also be divided into four sectors, with each of the Allies controlling one sector.
It was also understood that the Soviet Union, given its proximity to Berlin and the scale of its war efforts on the Eastern Front, would be the primary force responsible for capturing the city.
Even though the outlook for the Nazis was hopeless, the fighting remained extremely fierce, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides, with approximately 917,000 German and 361,000 Soviet losses.
Hitler
Every soldier must fulfill his duty. Whoever does not is a traitor. Anyone who gives you an order to retreat, must be arrested, and executed immediately.
While mass rape of German women also occurred on the Western Allied side, with estimates ranging from 10.000 to perhaps as many as 190,000, the scale on the Soviet side was significantly larger. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands, perhaps even up to 2 million, were raped by Soviet soldiers, with around 100,000 cases reported in Berlin alone.
24yr-old, Hildegarde Krystof
The Russians came. We weren't allowed to lock our doors. Holding machine guns, they herded us into an empty house. Other young women had also been dragged in. The beasts pounced on us again and again the entire night. A whole mob of them. At dawn, they disappeared. We crept back to our family. Many committed suicide.
On April 30, 1945, Hitler committed suicide by gunshot to the head, alongside his wife, Eva Braun, who took cyanide.
Hitler
My wife and I choose death. It is our wish to be burned immediately. All that is found are a few charred bones. Hitler's war is finally over.
17-yr-old schoolgirl, Edelgard Siedle
We believed in victory, and now this is the end. Hitler is responsible for destroying our nation. We will always have to live under this shame.
Fragment Hitler's Last Testament
It is untrue that I or anyone else in Germany wanted war. It was provoked solely by the Jews. I die with a joyful heart, in the knowledge of our infinite achievements, and of a contribution unique in the history, that bears my name.
September 2, 1945
The End of WWII
Beginning of the Cold War and Decolonization
After the fall of Berlin in May 1945, the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August quickly brought World War II to an end, marking the dawn of a new era that still resonates today. The war had devastated much of the world, particularly Europe, leaving cities in ruins and economies shattered. Approximately 80 million people perished, many under horrific circumstances. The unfathomable horrors of the Holocaust, driven by fascist ideology, left a deep scar on the human psyche, bringing human rights and self-determination to the forefront of global consciousness. Within weeks after the war, the United Nations was founded for the purpose of maintaining international peace and security, promoting social progress, protecting human rights, and fostering international cooperation. As a result, the European colonial powers, severely weakened, were forced to abandon their colonial projects, not only due to a lack of military resources but also because of the growing moral opposition to colonialism from within the UN.
Within this context, two new superpowers emerged: the United States and the Soviet Union. Although they were allies during the war, they were driven by conflicting ideologies and competing visions—capitalism versus communism, and liberalism versus authoritarianism. After the war, the ideological rivalry between the two nations swiftly evolved into a global geopolitical struggle for dominance, known as the Cold War. This era was characterized by deep mutual suspicion, an intense military build-up of conventional and nuclear arms, and a seemingly endless series of proxy wars, as each superpower sought to curtail the influence of the other.
Another significant aspect of the Cold War era was the gradual process of decolonization, the effects of which are still evident in many conflicts around the world today. After the war, colonialism was increasingly viewed as a violation of human rights and lost its moral justification in the eyes of the global community. Both the United States and the Soviet Union promoted decolonization, albeit from different perspectives: the U.S. emphasized self-determination, while the USSR advocated for anti-imperialism. Both nations sought to expand their influence in these newly independent countries, many of which were rich in resources.